Vision and Mission
Vision:
To be the leading educator of linguistic and culural competencies promoting mutual respect, understanding and cooperation in an international context.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the ZSIK is to foster the proficiency of both students and staff in multiple languages, as well as to increase their sensitivity to cultural diversity in order to ensure that students, graduates and colleagues alike can function successfully in pluri-cultural contexts. Furthermore, the ZSIK is pivotal in the execution of the Kiel UAS internationalization strategy as it actualizes the overarching international goals set forth by the president’s office and facilitates internationalization within the faculties.
To achieve this, the ZSIK aspires to:
Mission Statements
1. Provide the highest quality of instruction in foreign languages and instruction in intercultural competence for all students and staff.
The ZSIK offers modules in 12 foreign languages. All modules are taught by native speakers who are able to provide the highest levels of linguistic input as well as in-depth knowledge of intercultural aspects.
The curriculum offered by the ZSIK is aligned to the foreign language policies of the EU, which include the development of the Bologna Process action line “European dimension in education” through the acquisition and dissemination of the languages of the member states, whilst respecting cultural and linguistic diversity. The ZSIK further subscribes to the European Commission’s concept of a “European education community” in which, by 2025, it should be the norm for people to be able to speak two foreign languages in addition to their mother tongue.
2. Facilitate excellent exchange opportunities for incoming and outgoing students.
A cardinal aspect of realising the Kiel UAS’ international strategy involves the management and implementation of academic exchanges to and from our partner universities in Spanish, French and English-speaking regions for those students and staff who aspire to a career in an international context.
3. Provide excellence in German linguistic and cultural competence for non-native German Speakers.
It is the goal of the ZSIK to promote communicative and intercultural competence for social, academic and professional purposes by fostering the ability to interact, integrate and participate successfully in a German-speaking society. This is aimed at exchange students and guest researchers, regular international students as well as at prospective students with a refugee background.
4. Provide certificates of linguistic aptitude.
The ZSIK issues internationally-recognised certification of language competencies for study and career purposes. Moreover, the ZSIK successfully trains and prepares our community of students for a number of external language certificates.